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It is what it is. It is a warrior who has found the door to freedom taking back some energy that they gave, unconsciously, without conscious agreement (I don't know if Miguel Ruiz means anything to you, but do you recall that a warrior doesn't have to keep agreements s/he didn't make? La Gorda never agreed to give that child her energy.) ... taking back some energy from someone who may or may not ever find the door to freedom, with or without the energy.

Leaving that energy because the child might have a chance in the future, when you do have a chance now... a warrior doesn't live that way. A warrior doesn't deny the present, or not answer the knock of the spirit.

I don't know that this denies the child a chance to be free.
I'm not sure why you think that.
I know for a fact it's not cruel though, unless you intend to be cruel. As far as I can see, La Gorda just intended to be free, not cruel. Actually, according to the book, she loved the child.

From a social human perspective, I can see that this seems cruel. But from a warrior's perspective... from the impersonal... I can't even begin to think the thought "cruel".