This is tragedy. Isn't there anything that can change these circumstances? I hate the powerlessness to change things.
You can criticize this mother, but she was forced to do this under extreme circumstances; she didn't have the meat by her bedside. I personally understand this approach because without food, it's an extreme situation. The woman and child, without guns to help them obtain food—if you were in her shoes, how would you change things? Without tools, one can only do what this mother did.