The little boy, Emanuele, needed an answer. Was what Francis said "true"? Maybe. Did Francis hear something more than the English translation says? Yes, I think he did.
And sister Lämmchen, what was wrong, specifically, in the words spoken by Francis?
The English translation for what the pope and the crowd said in Italian is:
If only we could cry like Emanuele when we have pain in our Hearts. He cries for his papa who died, and had the courage to do so before us because there is love in his heart for his papa. I asked Emanuele permission to reveal his question to the public and he said 'yes'.
"My papa died a short time ago. He was an atheist, but he baptised his four children. He was a good man. Is papa in heaven?"
It's nice that a son says this about his father, that he was "good". Do you think that God would be able to leave a man like him far from Him? Do you think that?
[the crowd responds "no"]
Louder, with courage.
[ the crowd says "No!"]
Does God abandon His children?
[the crowd responds "No!"]
Does God abandon His children when they are good?
[the crowd responds "No!"]
Here, Emanuele, this is the answer. God surely was proud of your papa because it is easier when one is a believer to baptise his children, than to baptise them when you are an unbeliever. Surely God liked this so much. Talk to your papa, pray for your papa. Thanks Emanuele for your courage.
What do you object to in that translation? Is it the crowd's responses? Do you object to the idea that a man who died an atheist but who evidently had faith enough to have his children baptised and very likely had faith in his youth and who was - according to his young son - a good man, do you object to the crowd saying that such a man would not be abandoned by God? Do you object to the pope speaking comforting words to the little boy whose father died recently?