TL;DR
Turn the school run and nap time into listening time
- Thousands of audiobooks, podcasts and originals
- Listen on your phone, tablet or Echo — also offline
- Cancel anytime
A 35-year-old South Carolina man has been charged with unlawful conduct toward a child after police say he left his 6-year-old daughter asleep outside a Charleston-area Target while he went home. The girl was unharmed and placed in emergency protective custody; the charge is an allegation, and further case details were not provided.
A 35-year-old South Carolina man was arrested and charged with unlawful conduct toward a child after Charleston police say he left his 6-year-old daughter asleep outside a Target to hold his place in line for a Pokémon card release. The girl was reported unharmed and placed in emergency protective custody with the state Department of Social Services.
Charleston police officers responded to the West Ashley Target at about 2:30 a.m. Friday after receiving a report of an unattended child. Customers had gathered outside overnight for the release of a new Pokémon trading card set, according to the report by Fox Carolina, citing WCSC and Gray News.
Witnesses told police that sometime after 1 a.m., John-Michael Dooley gave his daughter a pillow and blanket and left her asleep in the line. After he had been gone for about an hour, concerned customers called police. When Dooley returned, witnesses identified him, and officers arrested him, the report said.
According to the report, Dooley allegedly told detectives he had gone home and left his daughter at the store to hold his place in line. He is charged with unlawful conduct toward a child. The charge is an accusation, not a finding of guilt. Authorities said the child was unharmed and placed in emergency protective custody with the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
A Child Welfare Case After an Overnight Wait
The case concerns the safety of a young child left without an adult’s supervision overnight in a public place. The response began after customers noticed the girl was alone and contacted police, who then took her into protective custody. The reported outcome that she was unharmed does not settle the legal question of whether Dooley’s actions violated the law; that allegation will be addressed through the case.
It also shows how a retail release that drew customers to wait overnight became the setting for a child-welfare call. The available account does not describe the store’s role in the incident or establish any broader policy change. The immediate public interest is the child’s reported condition, the criminal charge, and what authorities and the court determine next.
Products Worth Considering
LEGO Marvel Iron Man Mark 3 Collector’s Edition Building Set (76344)
LEGO Super Mario Donkey Kong Arcade Building Set (72051)
LEGO Ideas Floating Sea Otters Building Set 21366
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How the Target Line Became a Police Call
The incident took place at a Target in West Ashley, Charleston, where customers had assembled overnight for a new Pokémon trading card set release. Police were called after people in the line became concerned about an unattended child. The report places the alleged departure sometime after 1 a.m. and the police response at around 2:30 a.m. Friday.
The information available comes from the Fox Carolina report, which attributes the account to WCSC and Gray News and identifies police statements and witness accounts. It says Dooley was arrested when he returned and that the child went into emergency protective custody. It does not provide details about the card release, the length of the line, or any statement from Target.
Court and Custody Details Not Reported
The report does not say whether Dooley has entered a plea, when he is due in court, or whether additional charges may follow. It also gives no further details about the circumstances of the child’s care after she was placed in emergency protective custody, or how long that placement may last.
Police say Dooley allegedly told detectives he went home and left his daughter at the store, while the account also relies on what witnesses reported seeing. The charge remains an allegation. The supplied report does not include a statement from Dooley or his lawyer, a detailed police account, or comment from the Department of Social Services or Target.
The Case Awaits Further Court Information
The next confirmed steps are not specified in the available report. Court records or subsequent statements from Charleston police could clarify the case schedule, the status of the charge, and whether prosecutors pursue further action. Any further information about the child’s placement would need to come from the responsible authorities, subject to privacy protections.
Until those details are reported, the established account remains limited: police responded to an unattended-child report, arrested Dooley after witnesses identified him, and said the girl was unharmed and placed in emergency protective custody. Readers should distinguish those reported facts from the unresolved legal outcome.
Key Questions
What is John-Michael Dooley accused of doing?
Police say he left his 6-year-old daughter asleep outside a Target in West Ashley to hold his place in line for a Pokémon card release. The report says he allegedly told detectives he had gone home.
What charge does he face?
Dooley, 35, is charged with unlawful conduct toward a child, according to the report. The charge is an allegation; the report does not give the case’s court status.
Was the child injured?
The report says the girl was unharmed. She was placed in emergency protective custody with the South Carolina Department of Social Services.
When did police respond?
Charleston police responded to the West Ashley store at about 2:30 a.m. Friday after receiving a report of an unattended child. Witnesses said the girl had been left in line sometime after 1 a.m.
What happens next in the case?
The available report does not provide a court date, plea, or other next legal milestone. Further court records or official statements may clarify the case’s status.
Source: foxcarolina.com
