Father leaves 6-year-old alone in Pokémon card line
A father in Charleston, South Carolina, abandoned his 6-year-old daughter alone in a line for Pokémon cards at 1 a.m. on November 6, instructing her to remain while he drove home to preserve his spot. According to the incident report, he asked her if she had “the gun” before departing, leaving her asleep on the pavement with a pillow and blanket.
When he decided to leave the queue, he told his daughter he was taking the dogs home and asked whether she carried a weapon. Other shoppers still in line noticed his absence and contacted police after he did not return within 45 minutes. One man’s phone timer recorded Dooley’s disappearance at 1 hour and 6 minutes.
Officers arrived to find the girl awake. She confirmed her father had left her unattended while he waited for the store to open. A search of her belongings revealed only the pillow and a green blanket—no firearm was found. Dooley returned to the scene moments before police spoke with his daughter, whereupon he was arrested on charges of unlawful conduct toward a child.
Dooley insisted to police he had only left to bring his dogs home, but witnesses and the timeline contradicted his explanation. The report stated he never asked anyone to supervise his daughter, simply leaving her alone in the cold.
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Pokémon card releases have previously provoked extreme behavior.
The incident shows the risks collectors take to obtain rare cards, even when children are involved. Police confirmed no weapon was present, but Dooley’s question about a gun raised questions about his judgment.
Local law enforcement described the case as a rare but extreme example of parental negligence tied to the competitive Pokémon card culture. The father’s arrest followed a pattern of similar incidents during high-demand releases, where collectors prioritize securing merchandise over basic safety measures.
