Image won't upload with unknown owner

Hello,

In Drupal 7.69, I created a new content type that allows for an image to be selected from elFinder (7.x-2.x-dev). When I select an image that doesn't have an owner, elFinder will report this error:

The specified file /Users/catherinemurphy/Sites/devdesktop/bostonmed-dev/docroot/sites/bostonmed.dev.dd/files/Find%20a%20Doctor%20Photos/Adolphe-Soukaina-184x184.jpg could not be copied, because no file by that name exists. Please check that you supplied the correct filename.
File upload error. Could not move uploaded file.
The selected file could not be used because the file does not exist in the database.

If I select an image that has an owner, it works as expected. Does anyone have any insight on how to fix this?

thank you! Catherine