A Charleston father is facing a child neglect charge after police say he left his sleeping 6-year-old daughter alone outside a Target just to keep his spot in an overnight line for new Pokémon cards.
Story Snapshot
- Charleston police responded to the West Ashley Target around 2:30 a.m. on November 6 after someone reported an unattended child.
- Witnesses said the father gave his daughter a pillow and blanket, then left her alone in line for roughly an hour.
- Police say he admitted leaving her so he wouldn’t lose his place before the Pokémon card release.
- He now faces one charge of unlawful conduct toward a child, and his daughter was placed in emergency state custody.
What Police Say Happened Overnight
The Charleston Police Department said officers were called to the Target in the 2000 block of Sam Rittenberg Boulevard around 2:30 a.m. on November 6. Someone had reported a child alone outside the store. When officers arrived, they found a 6-year-old girl by herself, with no adult nearby to watch her.
Police identified the child’s father as the man who had been in line with her earlier that night. Witnesses told officers he gave his daughter a pillow and a blanket sometime after 1 a.m., then walked away and left her sleeping outside the store entrance.
Other customers waiting for the Pokémon card release grew worried once they realized no adult was watching the girl. That concern led someone to call police, according to the reports summarizing the police account.
Father Reportedly Admitted Leaving for the Card Release
When the father returned to the line, witnesses pointed him out to officers on the scene. Police say he then admitted he had gone home and come back, leaving his daughter behind so he wouldn’t lose his spot before the store opened for the Pokémon Trading Card Game’s 30th Celebration release.
Officers arrested him and charged him with one count of unlawful conduct toward a child. That charge reflects police action taken at the scene. It is not a conviction, and the case will still need to move through the court system before any final legal outcome is decided.
The girl was reportedly unharmed. Still, police treated the hour she spent alone outside, overnight, as serious enough to warrant immediate state intervention rather than simply releasing her to her father.
Child Placed in State Custody After Arrest
Following the arrest, police said the child was placed into emergency protective custody with the South Carolina Department of Social Services. That step is separate from the criminal charge. It reflects a child-welfare decision made under state rules, not a determination of guilt in the criminal case.
Police have not released the detective’s full interview, body-camera footage, or the arrest affidavit, so the public account so far comes largely from police statements relayed through local and national news outlets.
The case highlights a tension that shows up across the country when stores release limited, high-demand products. Scarce items like special-edition trading cards push some buyers to camp out overnight, sometimes for many hours, creating pressure that can lead to risky decisions about who watches children in line.
A Pattern Seen Beyond This One Incident
Researchers who study child welfare cases note that “lack of supervision” is one of the most common reasons families end up in neglect investigations or court proceedings. Agencies must weigh whether a caregiver’s absence created real danger, or whether it reflects an ordinary lapse that doesn’t rise to criminal neglect.
This incident isn’t the only flashpoint tied to the Pokémon card release. Overnight lines at other stores around the country have reportedly led to fights, accusations of line-jumping, and even a reported knife-related incident at a California Target, underscoring how collector demand has fueled tense, sometimes dangerous scenes outside stores this season.
For now, the South Carolina case moves forward in the courts, while the child remains under the state’s protective oversight. The outcome of the criminal charge, and whether the girl is returned to her father’s care, will depend on steps still ahead in the legal process.
Sources:
washingtontimes.com, nbcnews.com, wyff4.com, lawandcrime.com, dexerto.com
