Police in South Carolina arrested 35-year-old John-Michael Dooley after he allegedly left his six-year-old daughter asleep on a pavement overnight outside a Target store to hold his queue position for newly released Pokémon cards.
The child was unattended for over an hour. Around 1:00 am, Dooley handed the young girl a pillow and a blanket on the concrete outside the retailer in Charleston's West Ashley neighbourhood, where crowds had gathered ahead of the release. Then he walked away and went back home.
Stunned shoppers waiting in the autumn chill noticed the solitary child. Alarmed by the absence of an adult guardian, bystanders monitored the sleeping girl before alerting law enforcement when nobody returned for her.
Police arrived at the store at approximately 2:30 am, by which time Dooley had returned to the line. Shoppers pointed him out to responding officers. During questioning at the scene, Dooley admitted he had driven home, explaining he stationed the six-year-old on the pavement so he would not forfeit his spot or miss out on purchasing the trading cards.
The young girl escaped physical harm. Emergency responders checked her condition at the scene while investigators took Dooley into custody.
Police booked Dooley into a local detention facility on a charge of unlawful conduct toward a child. He was subsequently released after posting a $40,000 bond pending his initial court appearance.