BATON ROUGE - An Ascension Parish daycare is fighting to remain open after a judge upheld the Louisiana Department of Education's decision to pull its license.

The owners of Alphabet Soup Learning Center hoped motion would be granted by a judge in Baton Rouge Friday. However the hearing ended late in the afternoon, with the judge saying he will not make his decision until next Tuesday.

Last month, the owners sent a letter home to parents saying they would remain open for business during the appeal process, which they are legally allowed to do.

They say they were always confident that their kids were safe and taken care of.

— Brandi B. Harris (@BrandiBHarrisTV) October 5, 2018

Alphabet Soup's license was pulled earlier this year, with the state citing a history of noncompliance. An investigation revealed 74 deficiencies at the daycare over a two-year period, with one instance being the overmedication of a child.

An attorney for Alphabet Soup's owners said the ruling came after the judge presiding over the case abruptly resigned, meaning another judge ruled on the matter. The owners say the state's decision is a "smear job" intended to silence them after being outspoken on state laws related to the division of licensing.