School district unaware of substitute's strange past

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Steven Diddy has been a substitute in the district for seven years. He first made headlines in 1996 when working as a local radio reporter. While covering the sensational disappearance and murder of two-year-old Matthew Moorby, he confessed to the crime. He later recanted and charges were l dropped after Diddy was examined at a mental hospital.

Monday, he was taken in for observation after unusual behavior in a classroom at Central West High School. Questions about what actually happened in the classroom on were partially answered Tuesday by Superintendent Mike Berg.

Superintendent Mike Berg told Action News, "Toward the end of the class he did nothing more than usher the students out of the classroom a couple of minutes before class ended. Students thought it was unusual and alerted an administrator."

A parent told Action News her child, a student in the class, said the teacher acted strangely, said something about alcoholics, and apparently wet his pants. Berg says an administrator took Diddy off campus and called authorities, who had him hospitalized him on a mental health hold.

Berg says all legal background checks had been made and Diddy was cleared.

"One, we do a fingerprinting process, it goes through the Department of Justice screening, it goes through an FBI screening," said Berg. "We do a California Commission on Teacher Credentialing screening, all of which came up clear on this individual and still do today."

Berg says Diddy's strange connection to the Moorby case and possible mental health problems were not known.

"In that it turned out to be essentially a medical issue and medical issues are protected under HIPPA there was no means to have access to that record," said Berg.

A close family member told action news that Diddy, recently quit taking medication, and family members were unable to get him mental health treatment. It's a common problem.

Carolyn Evans with the Fresno County Mental Health Advisory Board said, "It's very difficult to get help for family members in a mental health crisis situation. They have to be a danger to themselves or others before law enforcement will write a 5150 which is from the welfare and institution code to take them to the hospital."

Steven Diddy was hospitalized overnight. A family member told Action News they can't discuss where he is now.

Superintendent Berg says there's no indication Diddy had any other problems while working as a substitute but an investigation is underway to make sure.

Diddy was also employed privately as a massage therapist. He is 44 years old.