A 4-year-old girl presents with fever, right ear pain, and postauricular swelling for the past three days. Examination shows a bulging tympanic membrane, purulent otorrhea, and right auricle displacement. She is started on IV antibiotics, but after 48 hours, her symptoms persist, and she develops a new onset of facial weakness on the right side. Which of the following is the most likely explanation for her new symptom?
