By Steve Tawa

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — In the winter of 2011, the “Kensington Strangler” case consumed a neighborhood, as police tried to hunt down the man who killed three women (see related stories).

But the man who provided the key tip that lead to the suspect never collected the reward money. Now the question is, will his infant son be able to collect?

The crucial tip came from a man later identified as “Oscar.” The Fraternal Order of Police paid him $7,000, but the city required a conviction for him to collect the rest: $30,000 from the mayor’s office and the Citizens’ Crime Commission.

Months after police nabbed suspect Antonio Rodriguez (top photo) in 2011, Oscar was shot to death on a Kensington street corner. Rodriguez was convicted this past summer (see related story).

But the mother of Oscar’s son, who was left the verification code for the reward money, has been unable to collect. She says she wants to set up a trust fund so the money goes to their two-year-old boy.

But the City of Philadelphia says an estate issue is holding up the payment.

“When the estate is settled, that person will be given that money,” says police spokesman Lt. Ray Evers.

The city says the family has to go through Orphans Court to set up a legal heir, but it can be done to make sure the reward money goes to the boy when he reaches the age of 18.