In your example, there is a life time difference in the old lady vs the child. If one is to go, who should it be?
It's not so much who should it be, it is who gets to decide, and why should they get to be the one to decide. In the case of the toddler, the gator decides.
Are we talking of one's rationale is of the level of the gator, just stirring the pot or a fidiot?