Though actually you could also argue that it's a mistake to apply "fridge" as a verb to specific cases at all, because what matters is the trend. Killing characters to forward other characters' plots or give them feelings is not by itself a problem because characters are not real. It is normal to focus on your protagonist. It becomes an issue if everyone is doing it the same way.
(I swear my takeaway from reading the 'Women in Refrigerators' page a looooooong time ago was that it was about taking established female characters who had their own plots and themes and characterization and killing/tormenting them for a male character's development, but that would automatically disqualify characters who are created with the intention of killing them, which category I think includes the original refrigerator victim? So I don't know.)
