Huntington Beach school principal dies by suicide at Disneyland after leaving heartbreaking post on Facebook to say goodbye
ANAHEIM, California – A Southern California school district is mourning the tragic loss of a beloved principal after he posted a suicide note on Facebook explaining his reasons for making the decision to end his life.
The Fountain Valley School District said Chris Christensen, 51, a principal at Newland Elementary School in Huntington Beach, died on Saturday after jumping from a parking structure at Disneyland, but not before he shared his final thoughts and explained his decision to end his life, and it all centers around the justice system.
Christensen was scheduled to appear in court on Monday after he was recently charged with misdemeanor counts of child endangerment and battery. He pleaded not guilty to both crimes.
“Mr. Christensen has been a respected leader in FVSD for over 20 years,” Fountain Valley Superintendent Katherine Stopp said in an email to the school community. “His contributions to this community are immeasurable. He was a father, husband, brother, and friend to so many. His passing leaves us devastated and heartbroken.”
In a post on his Facebook page, Christensen wrote that he had been put on administrative leave from his position after a recent argument with his wife “landed me in jail that night.”
“…Please remember me for all the good I brought to the world of education,” he wrote.
Christensen noted that it is way too easy for the justice system to ruin a man’s life. He claims that his wife did not intend for their argument to escalate to the level that it did and that she too was attempting to clear his name.
Christensen is survived by his wife, three children and two stepchildren.
Christenson was a talented musician who posted a video from a performance in September to Facebook.
