Father detained for allegedly abandoning sleeping child outside store to hold Pokémon queue spot

John-Michael Dooley was taken into custody by law enforcement on November 6 and formally charged with unlawful conduct toward a minor following an incident where he allegedly abandoned his six-year-old daughter outside a Target retail branch to maintain his position in a queue for Pokémon cards.

According to law enforcement records and eyewitness reports, the man abandoned the young girl outdoors at approximately 1:00 a.m. equipped only with a pillow and a blanket. Observers noted that the child was fast asleep and that the father remained absent for well over sixty minutes before returning to the scene.

What led to the police intervention?

Concerned bystanders alerted the authorities after noticing the unattended minor in the middle of the night. Responding officers arrived and subsequently apprehended Dooley around 2:30 a.m. as he made his way back. Investigators stated that the suspect readily admitted during questioning that he had gone back home while leaving his daughter behind on the pavement to safeguard his spot for the coveted merchandise.

Authorities confirmed that the minor escaped physical injury and was immediately transferred to emergency protective custody overseen by local social services. Meanwhile, the accused was booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center. Judicial documents indicate that his bail was fixed at $40,000, with a formal court hearing scheduled for December 18.