Patient disappears from assisted living facility

LAWNDALE, N.C. -- Cleveland County authorities are searching for a patient who disappeared from an assisted living facility in Lawndale on Wednesday night.

Authorities say 45-year-old Mouy Tang was last seen walking near the Unique Living Facility on Philadelphia Road.

The facility filed a missing person report after Tang didn't return.

Police said they do not consider Tang a missing person because she is free to sign in and sign out of the facility of her own free will.

Searchers are concerned about Tang because she has medical problems, including diabetes and schizophrenia, and she hasn't had her medication since Wednesday morning.

Local firefighters searched on the ground Wednesday night, while a state Highway Patrol helicopter flew above. They called off the search shortly after 10 p.m. and said they'd reassess the situation Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, Unique Living has had its share of problems. Kelly Whitesides lived there for a week when he disappeared in 2006. Searchers found him dead a few hundred yards from the facility.

Two months ago, Cleveland County leaders asked the state to take Unique Living over and stop new admissions because they were worried residents would be in danger.