CLAYTON • A woman who admitted participating in the rape of her infant daughter was sentenced Monday to two consecutive life sentences in prison after her attorneys failed to convince a judge that she should get probation because of a psychological disorder.

Attorneys for Tessa L. Vanvlerah, 22, had a forensic psychologist testify at the sentencing hearing in St. Louis County Circuit Court that Vanvlerah has a dependent-personality disorder.

Dr. Brooke Kraushaar said it caused Vanvlerah to participate in the sexual fantasies of Kenneth M. Kyle, a college professor from California about twice her age, even though she knew sex acts involving her then-5-month-old daughter were wrong.

Kyle, who met Vanvlerah online, was sentenced in March to 37½ years in federal prison after pleading guilty of abusing the child during several visits to St. Louis in 2009. He first came to authorities' attention through the sharing of child pornography online.

Kraushaar, who was hired by defense lawyers Brent Labovitz and Kevin Whiteley, described Vanvlerah as "a passive offender" who was so afraid of being rejected by others that she also allowed Kyle to choke, burn and urinate on her.