Father Arrested for Leaving Daughter at Target for Pokémon Cards

A father, John-Michael Dooley, has been charged with unlawful conduct toward a child. This follows an incident where he allegedly left his 6-year-old daughter sleeping outside a Charleston Target store. Dooley reportedly departed the store around 1 a.m. on November 6, 2026, leaving the child with a pillow and blanket. He admitted to detectives that he went home to wait out the rest of the time before the store opened. Concerned customers, noticing the child alone for an extended period, contacted the Charleston Police Department. Officers arrived at the scene shortly after 2:30 a.m. to find a crowd gathered for the Pokémon card release. The child was unharmed and taken into protective custody by the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Dooley was arrested upon his return to the store. His bond has been set at $40,000, with an initial court appearance scheduled for December 18, 2026.