MINOT (AP) - Two Minot men have pleaded not guilty to leaving young children alone while frequenting local nightclubs, in separate cases that happened a day apart.

Morris Hicks, 24, is charged with felony child abuse or neglect. He is accused of leaving a 1½-year-old girl in a car while drinking at a bar.

In the other case, Ryan Neuhalfen, 23, is accused of leaving a 2-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl home alone while he went out. He faces two felony abuse or neglect charges.

Both men entered their not guilty pleas in Northwest District Court this week.

Police said they found the 18-month-old girl in the back seat of Hicks' vehicle on Sept. 9, after getting a call from a concerned citizen.

Officer Matt Debowey testified that Hicks told police he had come to the bar at the request of a friend whom Hicks thought might become involved in a fight. Debowey said Hicks told officers he was in the club for no more than 10 minutes and had not been drinking, but that other people at scene said they had seen Hicks inside 30 minutes before, with a drink in his hand.

Debowey also testified he detected an odor of alcohol on Hicks, but wasn't sure if it was on his breath or clothing.

Hicks' attorney noted that there were no times cited in the case, that only one pair of witnesses contested Hicks' time inside the bar, and that the child's diaper was not dirty when police removed her from the vehicle. Authorities said the child is the daughter of Hicks' girlfriend.

Judge Douglas Mattson ruled there was probable cause to proceed with the case against Hicks. His pretrial conference is set for Dec. 21. The pretrial conference for Neuhalfen, who waived his preliminary hearing, also is scheduled that day.

Neuhalfen was arrested Sept. 8 after police said they found his children home alone while executing a search warrant. They said they had been notified by the children's mother that Neuhalfen might have left them home alone when she spotted his car at a bar.

Police said Neuhalfen initially told them the children were being watched, but their investigation showed otherwise.