What did your players do with the kiddies? Did they ferry them back home as soon as they got them, leaving the rest to wait? Did they clear the entire first level, shuttle those ones back, leaving any others to wait? Did they bring the kids all the way through?
Spoilers, perhaps, so tags to the rescue!
Spoiler:
My players didn't see much of a benefit to having the fat bard follow them around, so they've left him with the kids in the abbot's room, 10 on the map I believe. The room is pretty easily secured once the upper level is mostly cleaned out, so it's a pretty safe place to stash the kids. They're after the last kid now, and had considered leading the kids they've rescued back to town after the rogue became infected with ghoul fever. However, given the amount of time it would take to walk back to town, then back to the dungeon, it's a pretty safe bet that they'd end up returning too late to save him from being sacrificed.