Why doesn't god intervene when innocent children are being raped or starved? It is typically answered "god doesn't want to interfere with our free will".

At the same time religious people will say "God sent hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, wild animals ect.. to punish people due to one sin or another"

So which is it, god intervenes or it doesn't? Or is it that there is no evidence for its existence.