Father arrested after leaving 6-year-old asleep in line for Pokémon cards at Target

A father in South Carolina has been arrested after allegedly leaving his 6-year-old daughter asleep in line outside a Target store overnight so she could hold his place in line for a new Pokémon trading card release.

The Charleston Police Department said 35-year-old John-Michael Dooley was arrested on November 6. Officers responded to a Target location around 2:30 a.m. after reports of an unattended child.

According to police, the girl had originally been waiting in line with her father, among a crowd of customers who had gathered overnight for the release of a new Pokémon trading card set.

Sometime after 1 a.m., Dooley gave his daughter a pillow and blanket, leaving her asleep in line before walking away, police said.

After about an hour passed without his return, concerned customers contacted police, the department said in a news release.

Witnesses identified Dooley when he returned to the store, and officers took him into custody.

During questioning by investigators, Dooley admitted to leaving his daughter to hold his spot in line while he went home.

Authorities did not clarify whether Dooley planned to purchase the cards for himself or for his daughter.

The release coincided with the rollout of the latest Pokémon trading card expansion set, Mega Evolution—Delta Reign. The massive Japanese media franchise, centered on fictional creatures, remains exceptionally popular among both children and adult collectors. While standard booster packs retail for around $5, rare cards can command thousands on the secondary market.

Police confirmed the child was unharmed. She was placed into the custody of the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Dooley was charged with unlawful conduct toward a child and was subsequently released from the Al Cannon Detention Center, according to online jail records.