It is Catholic doctrine that any soul that remains in original sin will not be saved.
The speculation of perhaps God having some way of removing original sin before they die by some other means than that of baptism by water is what has been speculated on.
“The spiritual re-birth of young infants can be achieved in an extrasacramental manner through baptism by blood (cf. the baptism by blood of the children of Bethlehem). Other emergency means of baptism for children dying without sacramental baptism, such as prayer and desire of the parents or the Church (vicarious baptism of desire – Cajetan), or the attainment of the use of reason in the moment of death, so that the dying child can decide for or against God (baptism of desire – H. Klee), or suffering and death of the child as quasi-Sacrament (baptism of suffering – H. Schell), are indeed, possible, but their actuality cannot be proved from Revelation.” Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, p. 114. -Ludwig Ott.
Oh, I'm quite aware of that.
The speculation of perhaps God having some way of removing original sin before they die by some other means than that of baptism by water is what has been speculated on.
Or perhaps the entire doctrine needs to be reexamined.