A father has been arrested after leaving his six-year-old daughter sleeping outside a Target in the middle of the night to hold his place in line for Pokemon cards.
John-Michael Dooley, 35, of Johns Island, South Carolina, left his daughter outside the retailer’s West Ashley location in Charleston on November 6, where customers had gathered overnight for the release of a new Pokemon Trading Card Game set.
Father didn’t want to lose his spot in the line
According to local news outlet Live 5 News, Charleston police responded to reports of an unattended child outside the store at around 2:30 am.
Witnesses told officers that Dooley had given his daughter a pillow and blanket sometime after 1 am before leaving her alone in line.
Cahrleston County Sheriff’s DepartmentAfter approximately an hour passed without him returning, other customers in the line contacted police.
Dooley eventually returned to the store, where witnesses identified him to officers. He was subsequently arrested and charged with unlawful conduct toward a child.
Per WCBD, Dooley admitted to detectives that he had gone home and left his daughter outside Target to maintain his place in line, fearing he would otherwise miss the opportunity to purchase Pokemon cards.
He was taken to a local detention center, while his daughter, who was unharmed, was placed in emergency protective custody with the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
