Death row inmate Christa Pike has been released from the hospital and transferred back to prison more than a week after a lethal injection execution attempt in Tennessee was apparently botched, her attorneys confirmed Saturday.

Pike, the only woman on Tennessee's death row, had been slated for execution by lethal injection on September 30. However, after the injections were administered, she reportedly remained conscious and breathing, leading to her being rushed to a hospital.

Her legal team, including attorneys from Federal Defender Services of Eastern Tennessee and the Tennessee Office of the Post Conviction Defender, stated that Pike will continue to receive medical care within the prison facility. They indicated they would be monitoring her recovery closely. Pike herself expressed gratitude to the first responders and medical personnel for their care during the "extraordinary circumstances."

The implications of the failed execution attempt are significant, raising renewed questions about the protocols and drugs used in capital punishment in Tennessee. Pike's attorneys have previously voiced concerns about the potential for pain and suffering associated with the execution drugs.

Attorneys for Pike had filed an emergency motion seeking to preserve evidence related to the execution attempt, which a judge granted. The motion detailed Pike's distress during the procedure, including audible crying and whimpering, and reported that at least seven needles were used to establish IV access, with one bending significantly.

According to the court filings, Pike experienced swelling, burns, and blisters on both arms after the pentobarbital, described as a caustic and highly alkaline substance, was administered. She was initially placed on a ventilator following the incident but regained consciousness the following Tuesday, her attorneys reported.

Pike's legal team described her recovery as "medically unprecedented" and anticipate a "long road to recovery." They noted that while her physical condition has shown remarkable improvement, there are lingering cognitive challenges, and her mental state may not have fully returned to normal.

Pike was convicted in 1995 for the murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer. The botched execution marks a critical point in her decades-long stay on death row, prompting further scrutiny of the state's execution procedures.