Charleston police arrest man for leaving 6-year-old alone in Target line

Charleston police responded early in the morning to a report of a young child left alone outside a Target store. Officers found a 6-year-old girl asleep in the middle of a crowd waiting for a new Pokémon card release around 2:30 a.m., according to the Charleston Police Department.

Witnesses told police the girl's father gave her a pillow and blanket around 1 a.m. before leaving her alone to hold his place in line. After about an hour, people in the line became concerned and contacted law enforcement.

When the father returned, witnesses identified him to officers, and he was taken into custody. The man told detectives he left his daughter there so he would not lose his spot in the line.

The child was unharmed and placed into emergency protective custody. The father faces a charge of unlawfully putting a child at risk or willfully abandoning the child. His initial court appearance is scheduled for December 12.