Christa Pike's Aunt Says Botched Execution Was God's Will

Christa Pike's aunt says her niece is still alive because it's what God wants ... she believes the Almighty is in control now -- not officials in Tennessee.

Carrie Ross -- Christa's aunt who helped raise her -- told the Daily Mail she believes Christa surviving execution by lethal injection last week proves God wants her to live.

Christa's aunt says, "When God puts his hand on someone, God is in control. Not the Department of Correction, not us, but God."

Carrie went on to say Christa shouldn't be put through another execution attempt ... noting she went willingly to her execution and it would be inhumane to force her to go through it again.

She's not excusing the horrific murder of Colleen Slemmer -- the 19-year-old Christa killed in 1995 -- but she thinks a commutation to life without the possibility of parole is fair.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has suspended all executions in the state pending a review into Christa's botched injection.

As you know ... Christa is still in critical condition after two injections failed to kill her -- she's suffering from pneumonia and is apparently unable to move her arms.

Her lawyers say she's speaking, and asked when she woke up Tuesday, "Where am I and who are you?"

A Tennessee court ordered the state to hang onto any evidence that may be relevant to Pike's case during a Wednesday hearing.