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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 in line outside a Charleston Target. The girl was reported 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 has been charged with unlawful conduct toward a child after police say he left his 6-year-old daughter asleep outside a Target in Charleston 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 officers responded to the Target in the West Ashley area at about 2:30 a.m. Friday after receiving a report that a child had been left unattended. 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 line. After he had been gone for about an hour, concerned customers contacted police. When Dooley returned, witnesses identified him, and officers arrested him, the report said.
Dooley allegedly told detectives that 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 source report does not provide a court date, plea, or further information about the criminal case.
A Child Left Unattended Overnight
The case concerns the reported decision to leave a 6-year-old child without an adult outside a store during the overnight hours. Police were called by customers who became concerned after the child had been alone for about an hour, according to the report.
The girl was reported unharmed, but authorities placed her in emergency protective custody with South Carolina’s Department of Social Services. That action means the child’s immediate care was handled by the agency; the source does not describe any longer-term arrangement or explain what steps followed.
The charge is an allegation, not a finding of guilt. The available account does not include a statement from Dooley or his attorney, and it does not describe the evidence beyond witness accounts and the statement he allegedly made to detectives.
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Overnight Line for Trading Cards
The incident took place as customers gathered outside the West Ashley Target for the release of a new Pokémon trading card set. The report does not identify the set or say how many people were waiting. The line explains why customers were present at that hour, but the reported child-safety concern arose after witnesses said Dooley left his daughter there while he went home.
Police responded after a report of an unattended child, then arrested Dooley when he returned and witnesses identified him, according to the account. The source material provides no prior history or additional information about the family, and none is needed to establish the reported sequence of events.
“He allegedly told detectives he had gone home, leaving his daughter at the store to hold his place in line.”
— John-Michael Dooley, as described in the report of his statement to detectives
Court and Custody Details Pending
The source report does not say whether Dooley has appeared in court, entered a plea, retained a lawyer, or been released from custody. It also does not list the specific statute or possible penalties associated with the charge.
Further details about the child’s care, the Department of Social Services’ next steps, and any conditions of protective custody were not provided. The account does not include a response from Dooley or his representative, and the allegations have not been tested in court in the information available.
Next Steps in the Criminal Case
The next developments are likely to include court proceedings on the unlawful-conduct charge and any additional information released by law enforcement or the court. No hearing date or schedule was included in the report, so it is not clear when Dooley will next appear before a judge.
The Department of Social Services has the child in emergency protective custody, but the report does not state what placement or review will follow. Any updates to the case should clarify the court status and the child’s care without treating the accusation as a proven offense.
Key Questions
What is the father accused of doing?
Police say John-Michael Dooley left his 6-year-old daughter asleep in line outside a Target in Charleston while he went home, allegedly to hold his place for a Pokémon card release.
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.
What charge does Dooley face?
Dooley, 35, is charged with unlawful conduct toward a child. The available report does not include a plea, court date, or case outcome.
How did police learn about the child?
Charleston officers responded at about 2:30 a.m. Friday after receiving a report of an unattended child. Concerned customers had called after Dooley had reportedly been away for about an hour.
What happens next?
The criminal case will proceed through the court system, but a hearing date was not reported. The Department of Social Services has the child in emergency protective custody; the next care arrangements were not specified.
Source: foxcarolina.com
