Christopher Christensen: Man who plunged to death at Disneyland was the son of Disney theme park composer
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA: Christopher Christensen, the head of Huntington Beach elementary school, was discovered dead on Saturday, December 3 after allegedly jumping from a parking garage at Disneyland. On Saturday evening, Christensen, 51, of Westminster posted a lengthy note on Facebook detailing a recent domestic conflict and how a "flawed" legal system destroyed his life.
As per reports, Christensen is the son of James "Jim" Christensen, a longtime Disney theme park director who died in 2020 at the age of 84. Jim Christensen was the music director for Disneyland's Main Street Electrical Parade. He co-composed the orchestration and produced arrangements for the "Fantasy in the Sky" fireworks, according to Theme Park Insider, as reported by New York Post. According to the site, Jim Christensen also worked as music director and conductor of the Disney All-American College Orchestra at Epcot's American Gardens Theatre from 1984 until 1992.
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Chris uploaded a photo of his father during the Thanksgiving feast on November 30, 2019, with his family. He wrote, "This was my dad's first day at home since 8/15. He enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner sitting at the head of 'HIS' table. So glad we made this happen for him."
Edmund Velasco, the president of the Orange County Musicians Union and a friend of Christensen's father, confirmed Christensen's Facebook account in a text message to The Times. On November 22, the 51-year-old was charged with a misdemeanor, child endangerment, and violence. He was set to appear in court on Monday, December 5.
According to court documents, the alleged event occurred on November 15, after which Christopher was detained. He was released from custody two days later on a $10,000 bail bond. Police think the death was a suicide, according to Anaheim Police Department Sgt Shane Carringer, who added that the coroner's office would establish the cause of death.
Chris's suicide note also stated that he and his wife were attempting to clean his record but with little success. He was also likely to lose his job. He claimed that the justice system was extremely faulty because he was imprisoned without evidence.
