Baby squirrel

The day before yesterday a baby squirrel appeared at ny feet and followed me round the garden for ages, even settling itself on my feet at one point. I realised tgst the mother might reject him if he smelled of human and that she might not come to find him with me around, so I went indoors which was hard as he was glued to my side!
When I woke yesterday he was in neither front nor back garden so I assumed he had either got home or been eaten.
Then my DD visited and came round the side passage carrying him ... she had found him asleep on the path. He was clearly flaked out and dehydrated. We tried giving him water via a syringe a d he perked up slightly ... I lay him in a cool place under a bush on my raised bed and returned to give fluid ... he was worse and the milk just kept bubbling from his nose. I decided he was on his way out and interventions were just distressing so laid him back down.
I did speak to animal rescue and they said they would take him if I drove a round trip of about 60 plus miles to take him to them. I decided to leave him be. They said it was a "moral isdue" for me to decide on. What do others think?
Nature is cruel and I feel we did our best for him and that we should go with the flow but make him comfortable out of the sun.
I am fully expecting to find him dead this morning and will put him in the field behind me so he can be dinner for some other creature.