Madame LaLaurie, born Marie Delphine Macarty in 1787, was a prominent New Orleans socialite known for her lavish parties and high society connections. She married three times, with her third husband being Dr. Leonard Louis Nicolas LaLaurie. The couple lived in a mansion on Royal Street, which became infamous for the dark events that transpired within its walls. In 1834, a fire at the LaLaurie mansion revealed the horrific treatment of enslaved people, leading to public outrage. Reports described the discovery of tortured individuals, which cemented Madame LaLaurie's legacy as a figure of cruelty and horror in American history.