@Count:
I think even kids reading this would assume that Linlin ate them. Oda couldn't have framed it more obviously.
If you ask them to think really hard about it maybe. But for casual kid simply reading a story I don't think he is interested in solving the puzzle ahead. When Big Mom is reveal to have killed everyone it will be just that simple. She killed them. It's not about the killing but the gruesome image of an overgrown child eating children.
Either way, she's going to probably be mad at Streussen.
All we know for sure is that at least Carmel has to be dead, and Linlin can still feel responsible for that.
If that was the plan the whole evil Carmel think becomes weird. Why have Big Mom feel guilty for the evil woman who wanted to sell her rather than the one where she feels guilty about the woman that wanted to raise her. Why even have her commit an act of cannibalism if it is to shy away from the rest?
I don't really think it's just the kids being alive that matters, but if Linlin possibly learns about Carmel being tied to CP0, which makes her disillusioned about her entire dream due to that being inspired by Carmel (Oda even drew Carmel smiling with a troll face this chapter. I really feel like Oda wouldn't let her get away with still being thought of as a saint). Something like that would cause just as much of a guilt trip.
So Big Mom is not going to learn that her lack of restraint cause the death of her family but rather that people cannot be trusted and wanting a country for equality is an awful idea. I kind of doubt that. I mean I don't think learning the only person she kills wanted to kill her is going to send her on guilt trip or change how mad she is at the strawhats or even change of her love for sweets. All it does is show her that she was justified in her killing just like all the others.
Why would she feel guilty for killing the evil woman that wanted to exploit her. All that should do is make her go even more crazy.
The Giants could already not speak Big Mom's name after she literally killed one of their greatest heroes.
It was said that happened after the story of the giant so the incident of the island is what caused such a strong reaction.
Having them do so because she ate some orphans afterwards feels redundant.
The chapter described them as being disgusted by Big Mom and pretty much trying to wipe her out of her mind. I would expect them to be mad if it had to with the giant killing. Plus it says it has to do with what happen on the island.
There's even a page already remarking how the news of killing Yoruru spread throughout the entire world.
So did this particular story. And while the first made them them mad, the second made them disgusted and erase Big Mom name.
And we still need to learn about how exactly Linlin was able to get a political marriage with Elbaf despite being so supposedly hated, which makes all of this even more weird.
Loki is currently a baby so his feelings for Big Mom are less strong and he fell in love with Lola.
I don't deny that the kids just running away is weak, but I would still expect it from Oda if he's trying to make Big Mom as sympathetic as possible.
Considering the visual of that panel of Big Mom holding the king while terrorizing a bunch fleeing islander, I doubt you are to find her sympathetic. She is the monster that doesn't know she is a monster. The good way to make her realize she is indeed a monster is not to have her kill the evil child selling mother but rather the accidental killing of the innocent family she had.
And that is certainly true. But we find the truth out immediately in the same flashback chapter, whether than letting that suspense happen for what will presumably be weeks.
It was back in the days where Zoro flashback could take one chapter.
Streussen could easily have teach the older children about hiding those Big Mom kill from her from his own experience. I really think everything points to her having killed them.