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Man Who Committed Suicide at Disneyland Identified as School Principal

sleeping beauty castle and couple smiling

A man who leaped to his death from a parking structure at Disneyland on Saturday evening has been identified.

disneyland parking structure

Credit: Disney

On Saturday evening, around 9:00 p.m., a man was found deceased at Disneyland near the Mickey & Friends parking structure after Guests reported seeing a man fall, according to the Anaheim Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

According to reports, the deceased man has been identified as 51-year-old Christopher Christensen, the principal at Newland Elementary School in Huntington Beach, California. He was also a musician who taught throughout the Southern California area.

Man who jumped to death at Disneyland was Huntington Beach school principal

Credit: Facebook

On November 22, Christensen was arrested and charged with misdemeanor counts of child endangerment and battery, to which he pleaded not guilty. He was due to appear in court on Monday.

Disneyland Castle

Credit: Disney

On Saturday, the elementary school principal wrote a lengthy post on his Facebook page, saying in part:

“I hate when people leave this Earth with so many unanswered questions. So, I hope this provides some insight and perspective. . . I am on the brink of losing my job, so here I am, writing my final FB post to all of you. I need you all to know that a gentle, kind, loving, and sincerely good mab has been destroyed by one unfortunate night.”

A Cast Member tram driver at the Disney Park took to Twitter to share the difficulty of the situation and to encourage others to check on their loved ones, tweeting, “I am a tram driver at Disneyland. It was so hard for us and everyone tonight. I am sorry for him and his family. I’m sorry to RT&P. No one deserves to see this, but mental health is a real issue. Please check on your family.”

On Saturday evening, Guests reported via Twitter that the tram service at the park was non-operational, and soon it became apparent that something was amiss. Reports were also made about a man falling from the parking structure, which led to a police presence on the Disney Park property.

About Becky Burkett

Becky's from the Lone Star State and has been writing since she was 10 and encountered her first Disney Park when she was 11. It was love at first Main Street Electrical Parade. Joy is blank lined journals, 0.7 mm pens, and all things Walt, Woody and Buzz, PIXAR, Imagineering, Sleeping Beauty (make it blue!), Disney Parks history and EPCOT. At Disney World, you'll find her croonin' with the birdies at the Enchanted Tiki Room or hangin' with Woody and the gang at Toy Story Land. If you can dream, you really can do it!